Semmens to play for Cobden on comeback trail for VFL

By
Justine McCullagh-Beasy

NORTH Ballarat Roosters footballer Daniel Semmens will make a comeback from yet another injury setback with Cobden on Saturday.

Daniel Semmens is looking to play with home club Cobden in his return from injury.

NORTH Ballarat Roosters footballer Daniel Semmens will make a comeback from yet another injury setback with Cobden on Saturday.

The 22-year-old’s return will boost the Bombers’ midfield and forward options against fellow Hampden league top-three contender Koroit at Victoria Park.

A broken wrist delayed Semmens’ start to the 2014 season following his best campaign with the Roosters.

Semmens, yet to make his VFL senior debut, played 17 games for the Roosters’ development side in 2013 after two previous injury-interrupted years on their list.

The Roosters withdrew their second-tier side this season, meaning players overlooked for the senior team play for their feeder clubs.

Semmens listed Geelong league club Newtown and Chilwell as his home side last season but was cleared back to Cobden at the weekend.

The former Geelong Falcon said he was excited to be back playing for his home club and would attempt to build form and fitness in a bid to thrust his name in front of Roosters’ selectors. Semmens’ last full season for Cobden was in 2008 and he has lined up for the club just twice since 2010.

“It will be good to play with mates and I haven’t played with them for a long time since juniors,” he said.

“It’s good to come home where I grew up.”

Semmens has endured a horror run in recent seasons, overcoming shoulder, groin and rib injuries before his latest hiccup.

It has restricted his impact at Eureka Stadium.

“I’ve played 24 games in about four years,” he said.

“I had a shoulder reconstruction and a couple of other (injuries) so I haven’t played much.

“It’s frustrating but I guess that’s football.

“In my first year (at North Ballarat) I didn’t play a game and in my second year up here I played seven and last year I played every game bar one.”

Semmens said he was fit for his Cobden comeback, running three or four times a week in place of football training as he recovered from his wrist problem.

Cobden coach Stephen Hammond said the Bombers were thrilled to get a player of Semmens’ calibre back to the club.

Hammond said Semmens’ run, long left-foot kick and ability to be damaging as an inside and outside player would benefit the Bombers as they attempted to break a three-game losing streak.

But he is hopeful the former Vic Country junior representative receives a call-up to the VFL team.

“If he plays well and they need him, he is their player,” Hammond said.

“We might have him for the rest of the season but the best situation in his case is we might only have him for three games.”